Asian Literary Society

“The world has come to a stop - the contagion of the deadly virus that had been sweeping the world, nation by nation, has reached the next alley, and it is a matter of time before it sneaks into your house …” Nisha had been reading a news article in the morning. The world had stopped indeed- offices were closed, shops shut-down and all transports had been stopped. They wanted to stop the virus from spreading- 'Break the chain'- flashed often on the TV screen these days. However, Nisha was working with the electricity department, and it was an essential service, so she, like many unfortunate ones, couldn’t afford to work from home. And thus, every morning she and Rehana from the next building, would kick-start their scooties in unison, nodding and smiling at each other as they passed in opposite directions. Rehana was an unfortunate soul like her, perhaps more so, because she was a doctor.  -------------- Nisha was an independent broad-minded woman, her mind wasn’t sh...

I gaze at the pearly, pallid clouds in the purple-hued sky, wafting ‘n wandering, Heaving ‘n hauling one another, jabbing ‘n jogging with the jaunty gust The wind wafts a blush of plum, purple sky inside, trembling ‘n tottering  It tows ‘n tugs the strings of the bundle of my memories, dotted with dust A misty morning tide, tumbles down, merges ‘n melds into the air all around  Swathes ‘n swaddles me, in the fluffy, fleecy threads of a weathered, worn quilt You are by my side, O’ mother, once again, in your whiff I’m drenched ‘ n drowned Your priceless embrace lingers, you wipe my brow, efface all my regrets ‘n guilt Another memory bounces out, a summer afternoon, under the Gulmohar tree Tangerine sunlight peeking through, lush boughs, waltzing with the breeze Your tiny legs race ‘n rush towards me, I ravel in your zest ‘n zeal, joy ‘n glee The priceless twinkle of your eyes lies at the core of my pneuma, forever within reach This other memory...

I clambered on to the bandwagon, avowing ‘n affirming  a rendezvous with You Bursting ’n bustling with verve ‘n vigor, I trailed the people who said they knew,  I peregrinated the sacred sanctums, traipsed ‘n trekked the shrine ‘n sanctuary  Coveting ‘n craving a divine glimpse, a celestial parley to savor ‘n carry The crowds jabbed ‘n jostled, I toiled ‘n tackled but was shoved to the fringe I clutched on to the bulging bag of pain ‘n agony, plodding not to impinge  A rocky ‘n ragged road beckoned, serpentine ‘n sinuous ‘twas, the route not oft taken,  I drifted ‘n dawdled along the path, bereft of options, I was shattered, shunned ‘n shaken No roadmaps, devoid of any milestones, the path curled ‘n curved every step of the way “Be still,” the road said, “submit ‘n surrender to me, play along, I’d try not to leave you astray.” The spiked scree ripped ‘n rived my bundle, the pain ‘n despair sp...

The deadly contagion crept sneakily into our lives  As it spread like wild fire it caught us by surprise  People feared catching the disease through close contact  So they maintained safe distances as the virus incessantly attacked  A disease that took the entire world by storm  No vaccines, no cures and no medical reforms  Outbreak of pandemic exposed us to numerous health risks  And left the entire medical fraternity in a fix  Day after day the number of infected people spiked It affrighted people and left them completely psyched  They struggled to cope with their financial losses And tried to make do with limited resources  Several measures were taken to stop the contagion’s spread  Around the world that had led to millions of deaths Social distancing and quarantine were practiced to name a few People became alert and slowly awareness grew  This contagion has hit the economy...

‘I’m sorry,’ the doctor said, ‘Your child has tested positive for the AMBID virus.’ Naina, my wife, fell into a chair. I stood and stared at the doctor – rendered mute. ‘AMBID! How...how is that possible?’ Naina’s query brought me out of my inert state. ‘He’s a baby. We both tested negative. How can our child test positive?’ I asked, flummoxed. ‘Babies due to their low immunity are at risk. Your child is seven months old. He could have contracted it from just about anyone. His body could not resist such an invasive virus,’ the doctor explained. In the darkness that swamped my sanity I heard Naina plead, ‘I want to see my baby...please, doctor.’ The doctor shook his head. ‘I’m sorry but, the risk of contagion is too high. We need to minimize your exposure. I cannot allow you in the NICU.’ What was he saying? We couldn’t be with our baby. The doctor read the flurry of questions in my mind. ‘Don’t worry,’ he said, ‘Your baby will be cared for. That’s o...

At a zigzag of crossroads, life stood to stare A critical conjecture of moments of crisis and dare Intersections and junctures seemingly effortless and upbeat While Others spiked with paths thorny and obsolete Day in and out poured deliberations and suggestions Those that determined the hour of the decision Even when I took the pavements smooth They turned prickly, spiny and uncouth I struggled and toiled to reach my goal While my peer cakewalked as they strolled Every simple effortless  road that it may seem Were perplexing, exigent n baffling a dream Roads taken by one's own choice or resolve  In hindsight appeared  something better could've evolved I have no rues or qualms as life is ordained to be As the road not taken was my destiny.

She tried fighting back her tears as they packed him, her husband of ten years. It was just last night they had cooked dinner, watched tv, and put the kids to sleep. He had complained of some uneasiness in the middle of the night, she had struggled to get anyone to help. In her locality, with hundreds of shanties huddled together, strewn across a few cents of marshland, the contagion had claimed a few lives and rendered many infected. Amidst the lockdown and panic, even the closest neighbors hesitated, she had somehow managed an ambulance. In less than an hour, they declared it was a massive heart attack, but when she suggested calling her relatives, the doctors refused. Wasn’t their fault, the hospital happened to be in the red zone, the beds were overflowing, they needed to be careful. In the early hours of the morning, her husband was cremated, with none of his siblings or friends to accompany him in his last journey. There weren’t any last rites, just her and the dreaded...